Snap-fastener.



C. E. RICHARDSON.

SNAP FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29, I916.

Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

CHAUNCEY RICHARDSON, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

' SNAP-FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Dec. 12, 19%.

Application filed June 29, 1916'. Serial No. 106,668.

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that I, CHAUNGEY E. RICH- ARDSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new .and useful Improvements in Snap-Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in snap fasteners, and it consists in the constructions, combinations and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved snap fastener which will be securely held in fastened or locked engagement, and which can be conveniently and easily fastened and unfastened under all practical conditions.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved snap fastener adapted to be readily fastened and unfastened with out strain or injury of the fabric or material to which it is attached, and in which the interlocked parts are shielded by a protecting casing.

Still another important object of my invention is to provide a snap fastener so constructed that its members will be securely locked together when assembled in such manner as to prevent accidental unlocking, and which will remain locked until a substantial amount of force is applied in the direction to separate the members.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a front face view of a female snap member, illustrating one embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 is a section on theline 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side view of the male snap member; Fig. 4 is a'front face view of the male member shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a. central section, showing the male and female members in locking engagement; Fig. 6 is a section similar to Fig. 5, showing the position of the male and female members when being unfastened, or released, from locking engagement; Fig. 7 is a rear face view of a modified form of male memher, and Fig. 8 is a central longitudinal section of the construction shown in Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the relatively narrow, elongated base of a female snap member provided with apertures for attachment, and having a. projecting socket slightly spaced from one end thereof; th slightly projecting portion 4 of said base constituting a fulcrum for engagement F r h e m mber in l nlQ li l g th r Flt tener. The walls of the socket 3 are slotted and shaped to provide reentrant snap members, which converge inwafdly from the walls of the socket at 5 and terminate in out war dly diverging portions 6, which are of such shape as to hold the male member firmly locked against accidental separation from the female member.

The male member is shown comprising an elongated base 7 provided with apertures 8 for attachment; one end 9 of said member being adapted to overlap the fulcrum 4 of the female member and provided with a head 10 for lockingly engaging the reentrant snap members of said female member.

In the operation. of my invention, the head 10 is pressed against the inwardly converging portions 5 of the reentrant snap members, which latter yield sufliciently to permit insertion of the head therethrough into firm locking engagement with the outwardlv diverging portions 6 of said members, the portions 6 being bent back from the portions 5, as shown, so as to present a substantial bearing surface for resisting accidental separation of the two fastener members; said inwardly converging portions 5 acting to center the head 10 and to insure a. smooth, easy entrance thereof into locked engagement with the portions 6.

To unlock my improved fastener, pressure is applied to the elongated bases 1 and 7, respectively, of the female and male members, to produce a relative shifting, or swing, of said members about the fulcrum 4:, as shown in Fig. 6. In this operation, the outwardly diverging portions 6 of the female snap member facilitate withdrawal of the male head 10 under the strong leverage action exerted about the fulcrum 4:.

From the above description, it will be understood that my invention relates to an improved snap fastener adapted to be readily and conveniently fastened and unfas tened without strain or injury of the fabric to which it is attached.

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate a modified form of male snap member, comprising an elongated base 11 having a projecting socket 12 spaced slightly from one end 14- thereof and provided with a reentrant head 13; said socket 12 being adapted to fit over the socket 3, with its head 13 in looking en gagenient with the snap members 6 of said socket 3. In this modification, the portions 1 and 15 pf the elongated base 11 are adapt;-

ed to fulcrum on the base 1 of the female member at points adjacent to the respective sides of the socket 3,.thereby providing efficient means for conveniently unlocking the snap fastener by relative swing of themale and female I members about the fulcrum points at either 14 or 15.

I have illustrated and described preferred and satisfactory constructions, but changes terminating in outwardly diverging reversely bent portions, and a male member having a dome-shaped socket provided with a head, said head adapted for insertion through said snap members into locking engagement with said outwardly diverging reversely bent portions of the latter.

2. A snap fastener comprising a female member consisting of an elongated base having a projecting socket provided with resilient snap members and spaced slightly from one end thereof, whereby said end constitutes a fulcrum and the other end of said elongated base provides convenient means for readily unfastening the snap fastener, and a male member consisting of an elongated base'having one end adapted to over lap said fulcrum end of the female member and provided with a head for lockingly engaging said. snap members, the other end of said elongated base of the male member constituting convenient means for readily unfastening the snap fastener.

3. A snap fastener comprising a female member consisting of an elongated base pro vided adjacent one end with a projecting socket having rentrant snap members converging inwardly from the walls of said socket and terminating in outwardly diverging locking portions, and a male member consisting of an elongated base provided at one end with a head adapted for insertion through said snap members into locking engagement with said outwardly diverging portions of the latter.

4. A snap fastener comprising a female member having a base provided with a projecting dome-shaped socket having reentrant snap members converging inwardly from the walls of said dome-shaped socket and terminating in outwardly diverging portions, and a male member comprising a base provided with a projecting dome-shaped socket having a reentrant head, said socket being adapted to fit over the dome-shaped socket of the female member and said head to have locking engagement with the reentrant snap members.

5. A snap fastener comprising one member having a base provided with a projecting dome-shaped socket having reentrant downwardly directed snap members terminating in outwardly diverging portions, in combination with a second member comprising a base provided with a projecting domeshaped socket having a central downwardly extending head with a contracted neck portion, said socket adapted to fit over the dome-shaped socket of the first-named member, and said head arranged to have locking engagement with the outwardly diverging portions of said snap members.

6. A snap fastener comprising one mem ber having an elongated base provided with a projecting dome-shaped socket spaced slightly from one end of said base to form a fulcrum, and having reentrant snap members converging inwardly from the walls of the socket and terminating in outwardly diverging portions, in combination with a cooperating member having an elongated base provided with a projecting dome-shaped socket spaced slightly from one end of the base to form a fulcrum, and provided with a reentrant head, said socket being adapted to fit over the dome-shaped socket of the first-named member with the head in looking engagement with the outwardly diverging portions of said snap members.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHAUNOEY E. RICHARDSON.

Witnesses FRED C. RI-IoADs, MONTE W. SoHN.

Copies of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

